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Microsoft patents augmented reality Xbox glasses

A new patent reveals Microsoft has plans for some augmented reality spectacles for its games console.

Joe Svetlik Reporter
Joe has been writing about consumer tech for nearly seven years now, but his liking for all things shiny goes back to the Gameboy he received aged eight (and that he still plays on at family gatherings, much to the annoyance of his parents). His pride and joy is an Infocus projector, whose 80-inch picture elevates movie nights to a whole new level.
Joe Svetlik
2 min read

Is Microsoft prepping a pair of augmented reality spectacles for use with the Xbox One? It would seem so, according to a patent application.

The application details multiplayer gameplay using a "head-mounted display device". It'll layer virtual reality onto actual reality, so you could start sword fighting with a pal in the same room, say. Better clear your aunt's Ming vases out of the way first, mind.

According to the patent, the augmented reality specs receive "eye-tracking information, depth information, facial recognition information, potential player head-mounted display device information, and/or potential player voice data". Once both players have signed in, it's game on. The device will even calculate how much room you've got, and suggest a suitable game based on your surroundings. Neat.

This isn't the first we've heard about potential spectacles for the Xbox. Last year, a 56-page document leaked, spilling the beans on some of Microsoft's plans for its gaming goliath. The glasses were called Project Fortaleza in the document, and would work over Wi-Fi or 4G to bring augmented reality to play.

High-tech specs are in the spotlight thanks to Google Glass. And augmented reality could really change the way we play games. Just look at the Oculus Rift. It can make you think you're walking along a slither of concrete between two skyscrapers. Which is pretty hair-raising, as Luke Westaway found out.

The Oculus Rift can also simulate what it's like to have your head cut off. It's all a far cry from Mario and Luigi.

Would you like to see augmented reality glasses for the Xbox One? Are these headsets and glasses the next big thing in gaming? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook page.